Washington, November 22An Air Force cargo plane dropped
the most powerful conventional bomb in the US arsenal onto a Florida
test range on Friday, producing a fiery blast and huge cloud in the last
developmental step for a nearly 11-tonne behemoth dubbed the “Mother
of All Bombs.’’

The mushroom cloud from a GBU-43/B, also known as the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), can be seen rising in this Air Force video still image after it was launched successfully from a MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft on
Friday. The 21,700-pound bomb was dropped from 20,000 feet to reach its target on one of Eglin's test ranges. Upon detonation, it created a plume over the Florida Panhandle that rose more than 10,000 feet and
could be seen from 40 miles away.
— AP/PTI photo

British
protesters call Bush, Blair war mongersLondon, November 22The British capital, this week,
witnessed the biggest-ever protest march held on a week day. It was to
protest against the war in Iraq, the illegal occupation of that country,
and against the presence in the country of the US President, who along
with the British Prime Minister, were described by many among the
marchers as war mongers who needed to be tried for their war crimes.

Opposition
storms parliament in GeorgiaTbilisi (Georgia), November
22The opposition leader Mikhail
Saakashvili and his supporters stormed into the Georgian parliament
today, interrupting Eduard Shevardnadze’s speech. The Georgian leader
was taken from the hall by his bodyguards, and Saakashvili took over the
podium.

Georgian opposition supporters shout as they go to the
Parliament building in
Tbilisi, Georgia, on Saturday. Opposition supporters broke down the door of Georgia's
Parliament building and entered the chamber where President Eduard Shevardnadze was giving a
speech.
— Reuters photo

A white dove perches on a machinegun at a function to mark Lebanon's 60th Independence Day in central Beirut
on Saturday. The Lebanese army held a military parade in Beirut that was
attended by Lebanese President Emile Lahoud.
— Reuters

Bomb rocks Quetta, no casualties
Quetta, November 22
A powerful bomb concealed in a bin rocked Pakistan’s south-western city of Quetta today, shattering windows but causing no casualties, the police said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast in a residential area of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, and the police said they were still investigating.
“At this stage I can only confirm that a bomb has exploded in Quetta and nobody has been injured,” said Khadim Hussain, a police official.
Today’s blast is the latest in a series of bombings in the city. In July suspected suicide bombers attacked a minority Shiite mosque, killing 47 persons.
— AP

WINDOW ON PAKISTANPak redefines
foreign policyTHIS
is certainly a long week for Pakistan’s foreign policy makers. The
country wishes to dress up a new policy. If the media reports correctly
assess the high profile meetings in Islamabad, Pakistan should be
redefining its relations with the big powers and of course with its
neighbours.

Islamabad's
Faisal Mosque is bathed in light on the 27th night of the fasting month of
Ramzan, in Islamabad on Saturday.
— Reuters

Washington, November 22
An Air Force cargo plane dropped the most powerful conventional bomb in the US arsenal onto a Florida test range on Friday, producing a fiery blast and huge cloud in the last developmental step for a nearly 11-tonne behemoth dubbed the “Mother of All Bombs.’’

An MC-130 Combat Talon dropped the 9,800-kg satellite-guided GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, or MOAB, onto a test range at Eglin Air Force Base in northwestern Florida, said Jake Swinson, a spokesman for the Air Armament Center at the base.

“It looked like a big mushroom cloud filled with flames as it grew and grew and grew,’’ Swinson said yesterday after the afternoon test. “It was one of the most awesome spectacles I’ve seen.’’

The MOAB, the most powerful non-nuclear US bomb, carries 8,482 kg of high explosives, detonating just above the ground when the tip of the 9.1-metre-long bomb hits the earth, Swinson said.

Swinson said it was the final of four developmental tests for the MOAB — nicknamed the “Mother of All Bombs’’ by some in the military — but only the second in which it was detonated. The previous live test on March 11 followed two inert tests.

The USA in the past has had larger conventional bombs, but none are as big in the current US arsenal. The MOAB is envisioned as a successor to BLU-82, the 6,800-kg ‘’Daisy Cutter.’’

The “Daisy Cutter’’ was used to clear helicopter landing areas in the Vietnam War and then was used in the 1991 Gulf War and in 2001 in Afghanistan. In the latter two conflicts, US commanders used the “Daisy Cutter’’ partly for the psychological effect on the enemy.
— Reuters

US President George W. Bush (C) throws a ball as British
Prime Minister Tony Blair (L) looks on, during their visit to Sedgefield
Community College in Sedgefield, England, on Friday. — AP/PTI photo

London, November 22
The British capital, this week, witnessed the biggest-ever protest march held on a week day. It was to protest against the war in Iraq, the illegal occupation of that country, and against the presence in the country of the US President, who along with the British Prime Minister, were described by many among the marchers as war mongers who needed to be tried for their war crimes

Over 100,000 took part in the march. They came from all over the country and represented all sections of the society. The protesters included school and college students and teachers, housewives, small business men, lawyers, councillors, members of parliament, pensioners and disabled persons, some on wheel chairs. They were people belonging to different races, different colours and different religions. The only thing common among them was that they were against the war.

This was the second massive rally against the war this year. The first was held on February 5 before US-UK forces invaded Iraq, without UN approval. A million people joined the rally at that time.

Asked by TV reporters as to why they decided to join the present march, the participants said their voice was ignored earlier but they wanted to show their anger and anguish against the continued occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq. They also wanted to protest the invitation to the US President to visit the UK, which they felt was an insult to the good people of Britain.

The placards and banners the protesters carried described Mr Tony Blair and Mr George Bush as terrorists. When told that these leaders were fighting terrorism and terrorists and working for democracy and freedom, their reply was that they considered these leaders terrorists and war mongers and wanted them to be tried for war crimes.

Many protesters said they were protesting against other American policies, such as its opposition to signing the Kyoto protocol to protect environment, and refusal to endorse the European Court to try violation of human rights and genocide. They were also protesting against double standards, free markets in the rest of the word but protection for American markets.

Parts of London came to a complete standstill. The high point of the rally was the bringing down of the 40-ft high statute of Mr George Bush, replicating the scenes in Iraq when Saddam Hussein’s statute was brought down signifying the end of Saddam’s regime.

The organisers of the march had won a court victory against the police which had earlier banned the protesters from marching past the Whitehall and Parliament Square.

The fact that while tens of thousands marched to show their anger against the President’s visit, the first-ever state visit to Britain by the American President in over half a century, was not welcomed by cheering crowds either on the day of his arrival or the day when he was formally welcomed by the Queen. The massive police operation was mounted to keep the protesters away from the visiting US.

The queen’s banquet was overshadowed by news of the serious breach of Palace security by a newspaper reporter who managed to get employed as a footman having access to all parts of the palace. While the Lord Mayor’s banquet was being held in the city of London, the Mayor of London decided to boycott it and, instead, hosted a reception for the anti-war protesters. The Mayor, Mr Ken Livingstone, said that the US President was not legitimately elected.

It was also a day when the government was dealt a humiliating blow by its own back benchers when the bill for the reform of National Health Service was passed by 17 votes as against the government majority of 161. It was later sent back by the House of Lords, to be passed again by the House of Commons in the wee hours of the morning. The government heaved a sigh of relief when the Lords finally relented and allowed the legislation to go through.

The Georgian leader was taken from the hall by his bodyguards, and Saakashvili took over the podium.

“The velvet resolution has taken place in Georgia,” Saakashvili said, as the hall applauded him. Hundreds of opposition activists had stormed the hall minutes after Shevardnadze convened the newly elected parliament.

This poverty-stricken
ex-Soviet republic had slid into its biggest political crisis in years after the November 2 parliamentary elections, which the opposition and many foreign observers claimed were
rigged. The election has fueled popular anger against Shevardnadze’s government and
led this impoverished nation into its biggest political crisis in years.

As the bodyguards led Shevardnadze out of the hall, the 75-year-old Georgian leader almost tripped. It was not immediately clear where he was taken.

Saakashvili ordered the pro-government lawmakers to leave the hall, and handed over the speaker’s podium to opposition leader Nino Burdzhanadze.

Earlier today, Shevardnadze said he was ready for dialogue with the opposition, but “without any ultimatums. Parliament was elected and ... parliament should begin work today.”
— AP

THIS is certainly a long week for Pakistan’s foreign policy makers. The country wishes to dress up a new policy. If the media reports correctly assess the high profile meetings in Islamabad, Pakistan should be redefining its relations with the big powers and of course with its neighbours.

Most newspapers had exclusive reports from the country’s capital where the policy makers were holding long formal and informal sessions. A report in News International of the Jang group claimed that “Pakistan has planned to revamp its foreign policy in the wake of new international trends and approach adopted by important world capitals towards Muslim countries and terrorism.”

President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali had detailed discussions before the envoys’ meeting with Foreign Minister Khursheed Kasuri. But what could be the reason for this high-level meeting of Pakistan’s envoys posted in five very important capitals. The News added, “South Asia’s affairs with special reference to Kashmir, which is major bone of contention between Pakistan and India, situation prevailing in Afghanistan, developments in the Middle East, terrorism, nuclear non-proliferation, WTO, 12th SAARC summit.”

What is causing worry is the terrorists attacks in Istanbul and other countries over the past some weeks. This week, Pakistan banned more terrorist outfits. It sealed offices in Sialkot and other places and as the Dawn reported, the President was worried about the worsening situation in the NWFP and Baluchistan. But as far Kashmiri militants are concerned, the official line is that they are freedom fighters. Musharraf is trying to reassess the response of the countries like the United States, England and other big powers. But the greatest worry is whether the Indian Prime Minister would attend the SAARC meeting in January or not. Other issue is sending troops to Iraq as Pakistan is under pressure.

Commenting on the terrorism in the wake of Istanbul incidents the Dawn wrote, “The crime has been condemned worldwide. Denouncing the blasts in Istanbul, Pakistan has said the attacks reveal “a sinister design and a consistent pattern,” because the terrorists were now targeting Muslim countries. Indeed, ignoring some minor acts of violence, most victims of terrorism since 9/11 have been Muslim. This country has suffered no less on this account. The major acts of terror that had international dimensions included the attack on the American consulate and the murder of 11 French engineers — both in Karachi.”

The Dawn also warned that,” The attacks on Turkish cities show that Al-Qaida has specifically targeted a country that is a US ally. For that reason, Pakistan, too, must tighten security measures, for Al-Qaida has been incensed by Islamabad’s role in the war against international terror.” The government, in fact, has tightened security for most embassies.

BRIEFLY

Jail term for ‘suitcase man’HONG KONG: A Pakistani man who tried to sneak into Hong Kong in a suitcase and the two Indian smugglers who helped him have each been sentenced to 10 months in prison, newspapers reported on Saturday. Abdul Basit, (32), pleaded guilty to a charge of entering Hong Kong without permission and was ordered jailed on Friday by the Kwun Tong Magistracy, the South China Morning Post and other newspapers reported. His smugglers, Ravinder Singh, (23), and Amarjit Singh, (37), also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting Basit’s illegal entry.
— AP

Indian pays compensation
Singapore: Ramalingam Jayabala, a 23-year-old Indian national working in Singapore, has paid 2,500 Singapore dollars as compensation to an Indonesian maid, who was allegedly molested by him, The Straits Times reported on Saturday. The Singapore police has clarified that Ramalingam was not freed on November 11 by the prosecution from the molestation charge but his case was compounded after Ramalingam apologised and paid compensation to the 26-year-old maid for allegedly molesting her in an elevator, according to the news daily.
— UNI

First genetically altered petWASHINGTON: A little tropical fish that glows fluorescent red will be the first genetically engineered pet, a Texas-based company said. The zebra fish were originally developed to detect environmental toxins, but Alan Blake and colleagues at Yorktown Technologies, licensed them to sell as pets. Scientists have for decades used a gene called green fluorescent protein, taken from jellyfish, to help in research. The fish, sold under the trademarked name Glofish, carry a similar gene taken from a sea coral that makes it glow all the time.
— Reuters

Museum of world literatureGENEVA: Swiss officials have opened a museum of world literary heritage with manuscripts and volumes ranging from an Egyptian Book of the Dead through Shakespeare folios to a first edition of Karl Marx’s “Communist Manifesto”. The museum, built underground in Geneva’s Cologny suburb by Swiss architect Mario Botta, also displays priceless editions of key texts of Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism, as well as classics from Japanese and Chinese medieval literature. Based on the collection of one-time senior International Committee of the Red Cross official Martin Bodmer and named after him, its construction was largely financed by the sale in New York of a Michelangelo drawing in 1998.
— Reuters